A fake prize with real opportunity
Students in Rockway’s grade 12 World Issues class traveled to the MCC offices at 50 Kent as the culmination of a month-long development project. Students were challenged to conduct research into the roots and cycles of poverty in a country. Next, they conceived a project that might break those cycles of poverty in a way that was sustainable over the long term and encouraged local and international engagement.
Students wrote proposals for these projects and presented them in a competition for a fictitious 500 000 dollar grant. In the end, the stakes proved higher than this, however, as Mennonite Savings and Credit Union (MSCU) provided a generous grant to fund a real development project of the winner’s choosing.
Having chosen three finalists, the grade 12 class of 23 students traveled with their teacher, Bryan Berg, to the MCC offices in Kitchener. There, a panel of judges heard presentations from finalists Connor Huxman, Eliza Heeney, and Colin Rier. Their proposed projects, respectively, championed micro-credit loans for small businesses in Haiti, the formation and support of fair trade tea cooperatives in Rwanda, and agricultural training, technology, and canning facilities for small farmers in Mauritania.
After listening carefully to the presentations, and asking some probing questions, the judges panel chose Eliza Heeney as the winner. While she did win the imaginary $500 000, she was also awarded the chance to choose a project from Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) or the Mennonite Economic Development (MEDA) and $300 to fund it. The other finalists were also awarded $50 each for a project of their choosing.
View the digital brochure for Eliza’s project here.
Along with this opportunity to think and dream about poverty reduction and development in our world, students had the chance to learn from the stories and experiences of the judges panel. This included Allen Reesor-McDowell of MCC, Pam Fehr of MSCU, and Kara Klassen of MEDA. All three have traveled, lived, and worked extensively in the countries that the students studied. All three offered inspiring stories and examples for the students to consider as they head towards graduation.
Thanks are extended to Ben Janzen, Stewardship in Action Advisor at MSCU, for bringing together this amazing opportunity for students.
Bryan Berg, Grade 12 World Issues teacher
